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Making bare aluminum chain match nickel plating?

Q. I'm looking to darken the bright silver color of a 1 mm thick Al chain (150 ft) to something that's a little darker. I'm piecing the chain together with nickel plated parts and they do not match.

51935

I'm sure I could buy a home anodizing kit and do a gray color but I'd like to know if there's a common, affordable chemical that I could dip the chain into to obtain a long lasting color change without turning the Al brittle or causing serious corrosion.

Thanks in advance.

Karl Bauer
hobbyist - Houston, Texas
April 9, 2009

A. There is a lot more to anodizing at home than most people think. That said, a small percentage of serious folks do a great job at home. Think about what you are going to do with the waste chemicals. IF you sell the finished product, you have to comply with EPA rules which are a total pain. All it takes is a competitor to squeal on you and you are in serious trouble--regardless of the size of the operation.
I would search for a shop that sells the chain that you need or find a local anodizer.
Obviously, this is my personal opinion.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
April 23, 2009

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